Fluid-actuated ram couple



C. W. MOTT FLUID-ACTUATED RAM COUPLE May Il, 11951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1945 V fiavezzi orn' Carl Z/J. M0

May Ti, 1951 c. w. MOTT FLUID-ACTUATED RAM COUPLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1945 May 1, 11951 c w -r 2,551,453

FLUID-ACTUATED RAM COUPLE Filed May 51, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet s Car-Z Z0. mi?! Patented May 1, 1951 FLUID-ACTUATED RAM COUPLE Carl W. Mott, La Grange, 1111., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 31, 1945, Serial No. 596,954

4 Claims.

This invention concerns fluid-actuated rams and relates more particularly to ram cylinders and an improved means for coupling the cylinders to a fluid supply hose.

The invention has special utility in a hydraulic ram arrangement employing a ram unit connected with a fluid pressure supply by a hose which provides portability of the ram unit relatively to the supply. Although the flexible hose has universalized the adaptations in which the ram unit can function, limitations have prevailed because of rigid connections between the 'ramunit cylinder and the hose. Installations with the ram-unit cylinder disposed in certain positions have required bends in the hose, and these bends must have a radius exceeding a minimum to avoid injury to the hose and/or throttling of the fluid. One object of this invention is the provision of a novel hose coupling means pivotally associated with the ram unit so it can be manipulated as desired without incurring bends or kinks in the hose. This has the advantage of eliminating shortening of the effective length of the hose by bends therein, as well as making it easier to maneuver the ram unit since bending resistance of the hose is not encountered. Moreover, the ram unit is easier to install from the standpoint of being unsubjected to reactive force from a distorted resilient hose while being secured in a desired position.

Another object is the provision of an improved hose connection for a two-way ram wherein hose coupling structures are connected with the ram cylinder for pivotal adjustment about a common axis extending transversely of the cylinder axis.

Another object is the provision of an improved hose-connected ram couple having novel means facilitating phase adjustment of the ram pistons.

Another object is the provision of an improved hose connection for a ram disposed within a cylinder head of the ram and communicative with the interior of the cylinder at the end opposite from said cylinder head through a hollow tierod for holding this cylinder head in assembly with the cylinder.

The invention, as well as the above objects and other desirable objects, can be more fully comprehended after reading the following description with reference to the annexed drawings. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a trail-behind implement and fragmentarily shown tractor with a hose-connected ram couple, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is 2 incorporated, installed for actuating the implement by means of power received from a poweractuated rock-shaft on the tractor;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken upon a plane extending axially through one of the fluid-actuated ram devices of the ram couple apparatus, the view being taken upon the line 22 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the ram shown in. Fig. 2 and looking upwardly at the bottom side of the ram cylinder as it is laid out in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified fluid-actuated ram device; and

Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line '!l of Fig. 6.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is shown a tractor E0 having a draft connection H with a trail behind implement 2. The surface of the ground upon which the tractor and implement rest is represented by the dot-dash line [3.

The implement i2 has a depth adjusting wheel i4 carried upon a leg i5 of a bell-crank l6 journaled in a bearing ll upon the implement frame. When a second leg it of the bell-crank is pulled forwardly for pivoting the bell-crank clockwise as viewed in Fig. l, the implement frame and the tools which are shown as plow bottoms [9 will be raised pursuant to imposing a downward force upon the wheel I l. Counterclockwise rotation of the bell-crank I 6 will adjust the implement oppositely by lowering the plow bottoms with respect to the wheel kl and the ground surface 13.

Power for rotating the bell-crank i5 is transmitted thereto from a power-actuated rock-shaft arm 2! on the body of the tractor through a hose-connected ram couple apparatus 22, a lever 23 pivotally connected at 24 to a portion of the implement frame, and a link 25 having pivotal connections with the upper ends of the lever 23 and the arm R8 of the bell-crank. The hoseconnected ram couple comprises two fluid-actuated ram devices 26 and 21 containing pistons 23 and 29. These devices 28 and 2! are substantially identical and may, in fact, be identical. The device 26 has a cylinder 3!, and the device 2'! has a similar cylinder 32. Channels within the walls of these cylinders are connected with respectively oppositeends thereof, and these channels are communicative with respective ducts in a multiduct hose 33 which extends between the devices 28 and 2'1. The arrangement is such that a closed fluid (preferably hydraulic) circuit is established through the ducts of the hose 33 and the cylinders 3i and 32, wherefore movement of the piston 2& by a force received from the rockshaft arm 2! through a piston rod 34 will forcibly displace fluid from the back end of the cylinder 32 into one of the ducts of the hose 33 into the back end of the cylinder 34 to distend the device 26 while fluid is displaced from the front end of the cylinder 3i through another duct of the hose 33 into the front end of the cylinder 32. During such rearward movement of the piston 29 in the cylinder 32, an attaching ring 35 which is pivotally anchored to a bracket 35 on the tractor rear axle housing 3'? will prevent backward displacement of said cylinder. Duri g the afore said distension of the ram device 25, a ring 38 on the front end of the piston rod 39 of the piston 23 and anchored in a bracket ll on the attaching structure H will prevent forward movement of the piston 25 and thereby incur rearwad displacement of t e cylinder 3|. Force is thus imparted through a rod 32 to the lower end of the lever 23 for pivoting the bell-crank iii counterclockwise with the above described erlect of raising the tools It.

In Fig. l the pistons 28 and 29 and the ram devices 26 and 2? are shown at the limit of their movement which incurs the maximum depth for the tools 58. However, if the tools were in a more elevated adjustment and the pistons 29 and 28 in corresponding positions spaced respectively from the front end of the cylinder 32 and from the rear end of the cylinder 3i, clockwise movement of the power-actuated rook-shaft arm 2!, in moving the piston 29 forwardly, would forcibly displace a column of fluid in the multiduct hose 33 into the forward end of the cylinder 2! for at least partially collapsing the device 25 and thereby pivoting the bell-crank IE counter-cloclnvise for lowering the tools l9.

Fig. 1 illustrates a typical installation for the hose-connected ram couple 22. In this installation it can be observed that the multiduct hose 33 has no sharp bends, twists, or kinks. One purpose of this arrangement is the provision of novel joint means 43 and G l for the pivotal connection of the hose ends with the cylinders 31 and 32 whereby these cylinders may be manipulated into other positions for numerous other installations and also without incurring sharp bends or kinks in the hose. These joint means which may be identical will now be descibed in connection with Figs. 2 to wherein the details of the joint means i i are shown.

The lower side of the cylinder 32 as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 is made sufiiciently thick to contain axial conduits l5 and 36 which are now noncommunicative with one another and which communicate between respective inte'ior end portions of the cylinder and the inner ends of bearing sockets l! and 43, see Fig. 4. These bearing sockets have cylindrical peripheries, and they are formed coaxially within a boss 49 depending from the cylinder vall. Normally closed channel 5! interconnects the sockets and :38, the closing of such channel being effected by the conical end 52 of a set screw 53 which fits into a conical seat 5 which is traversed by said channel 5!.

The joint means for the left side of the device illustrated in Fig. in addition to the bearsocket it, includes a hose coupling structure 5 journaled in said socket. Hose coupling structure 55 contains a channel 56 communicative with the cylinder conduit 46 through the socket es, a lateral channel 5'! which is internally threaded for connection with a threaded nipple 58 which connects with one branch 59 of the multiduct hose 33, see Fig. 3. Hose branch 59 contains one duct {H of the hose, while a complemental hose branch 52 contains a hose duct 63.

The outer periphery of the coupling structure contains a. circumferential groove (it which registers axially of the socket 48 with two pinreceiving bores 65 and see Figs. 4 and 5. Laterals 6'5 and 68 at the upper ends of these bores provide access for a tool for spreading the split upper ends of pins 59 which are inserted upwardly into the bores 65 and 56 into the groove M for retaining the coupling structure 55 in its socket Q8. Leakage from the inner end of the socket 45 past the outer periphery of the hose coupling structure 55 is prevented by a sealing ring H.

A second lateral, Z2, of the channel 56 is threaded for the reception of an oil pump or grease-gun device l3. This device may be of any standard construction, such as an Alemite Zerk fitting, a oi-m of the latter being shown. These devices are adapted to receive fluid under pressure and contain a check valve which prevents egress of the fluid subsequent to the injection.

The joint means on the right side of the cylinder 32 as viewed in Fig. 4 is constructed similarly to that just described upon the left side of said cylinder, wherefore to expedite this disclosure. the corresponding parts upon the right side have been given the same respective reference numerals with the addition of the letter a.

After the hose-connected ram couple 22 has been assembled and the hose ducts BI and 63 and the cylinders have been filled with oil, phasing of the pistons 28 and 29 can be accomplished by connecting an oil pump or grease-gun device with one of the fittings E3 or 53 while in serting a pin into the other of said devices for opening the check valve (not shown) therein. One of the pistons 28 or 29 can then be held against movement within its cylinder while the other piston is left free to move under the influence of oil injected into the fitting 73 or 73 by the oil pump. Meanwhile, the moving piston causes a displacement of oil through the other of the devices F3 or '53 of which the valve is held open. As soon as the pistons have been adjusted to the desired or correlated positions, the oil pump will be disconnected from the one fitting device 73 or 73 and the pin removed for permitting the valve at the other of these devices to be closed. The system will continue to be filled with oil so that upon subsequent movement of the piston 29 in either direction, the columns of fluid in the hose ducts El and 63 will cause a corresponding movement of the piston 28. Should oil leakage occur during the use of the ram couple so that the pistons would get out of the desired phasing relationship, reestablishment of that relationship can be attained in the same manner as described above for initially phasing the pistons.

An alternative method of phasing the pistons should they drift from their correlated position because of fluid leakage past either piston without the loss of fluid externally of the system is by loosening the set screw 53 for opening the communication through the channel 53. Following this, one of the pistons will be held against movement while the other is moved into the desired position within its cylinder pursuant to causing a transfer of the-oil through the channel 5|. Thereupon, the set screw 53 will be reseated at 54 for maintaining the adjustment.

With the pivot joint means illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 for the connection of the hose compo nents 59 and 62 with the cylinders, it is possible to pivot the cylinders relatively to the hose coupling members as 55 and 55 whereby the cylinders may be manipulated after being disposed at the locus of their installation and can be manipulated for connection of their cylinders and pistons with the desired points of attachment without necessarily bending the hose. By referring to Fig. i, it will be seen that the cylinders could be changed end forend or disposed in innumerable other positions without incurring any stress or strain in the hose. Conceivably the hose can be twisted slightly without materially changing its length or without impairment thereto, which factor, together with the pivotal adjustment of the cylinders, makes it possible to virtually universally manipulate the ram devices in establishing a desired position of attachment therefor. straight while the ram devices are attached as desired, a shorter length of hose can be provided to attain installations requiring a greater length of conventionally connected hose, and there is the further advantage of avoiding unwieldly hose loops and bends and of clearing the space otherwise occupied by such loops and bends. Moreover, the stresses are always applied to the hose lengthwise whereby greater spans may be suspended without incurring excessive strain.

A further structural feature of the ram devices to facilitate their attachment to spaced attachment portions of apparatus without incurring bending of the hose is the pivotal connection of the attaching means as and 42 with their cylinders. In Fig. 2, the attaching means or ring 35 can be seen to have a screw-threaded connection with its associated end of the cylinder, which connection enables this ring to be rotated about an axis extending lengthwise of the cylinder. This rotative adjustability of the ring 35 adapts it to be turned relatively to the cylinder for proper orientation with respect to 00- operative attachment means upon apparatus with which the ram device is to be utilized. Thus, the pivotal connections of the hose with the cylinder about one axis and the pivotal connection of the attachment members 35 and 2 with the cylinders contribute to the adaptability of the cylinders to be connected in various positions to attachment portions of the apparatus without incurring bends in the hose.

In a modified form of hydraulic ram device illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7, parts corresponding to or identical with parts described hereinabove in connection with the first embodiment are designated by the same reference characters preceded by the letter A. This second embodiment of the invention employs three tie-rods extending between cylinder heads 85 and 82 for holding the cylinder heads in assembly with the cylinder A32. Two of these tie-rods which are identical are designated T, while the third which is hollow to serve as a conduit is designated TC.

Cylinder head 3i contains a chamber 83 with coaxial openings 8:, and 85 in opposite walls thereof. Opening 85 receives an end portion of the tie-rod conduit TC and has a sealed con- Since the hose can remain substantially pix nection therewith at 86. Opening 84 receives the shank of a headed internally threaded member 8'? and has a sealed connection therewith at 88. Said member 81 has a threaded cavity -89.of which the threads mesh with threads on the associated end of the tie-rod member TC, and communication is provided between the cylinder head chamber 83 and the hollow interior of the tie rod TC by radial ports 9i and the cavity 89 in the member 87. The opposite or right end of the tie-rod TC, as illustrated in Fig. '6, has a threaded connection at 92 with the side wall of a cavity 93 in the cylinder head 82. Consequently, when the internally threaded member 81 is rotated in the proper direction, a threaded connection with the left end of the tie-rod TC will create a tensile force in said tie-rod for pulling the cylinder heads together.

Cylinder head 82 has an L-shaped passage 94 to communicate between the cavity 93 and-the socket ll. A second L-shaped passage 95' communicates between the socket A48 and the right end of the cylinder A32. The hose-connecting members A-Eiia and A55 are associated with the sockets A i"! and A l-8 in the manner explained hereinabove with respect to the hose connecting members 55 and 55 which fit into the sockets 4'5 and 48.

The invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, and it should be understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid-actuated ram, a cylinder structure having conduits respectively communicative with opposite interior end portions, joint means comprising oppositely disposed coaxial bearing sockets in said cylinder and with their axis extending transversely of the cylinder axis whereby portions of such bearing sockets are on opposite sides of the cylinder axis, said sockets being respectively communicative with said conduits, there being a channel in the cylinder communicative between said sockets, a valve stem bore extending toward said channel and having a conical valve seat which intersects said channel, a valve stem adjustable endwise in said bore and having a conical inner end cooperable with said seat to selectively block or permit communication between the sockets through the channels, and hose-coupling structures pivotally connected with the cylinder by means of said bearingsockets and respectively communicative with said conduits through said sockets.

2. In a fluid-actuated ram; a cylinder structure comprising a cylinder body, a cylinder head on one end of said body, and tie-rod means extending between the ends of said structure and connected with said cylinder head, said cylinder structure having a conduit communicating interiorly of said cylinder head from the interior of the one end of said body and a second'conduit communicating interiorly of said cylinder head from the interior of the other end of said body through the tie-rod means; joint means comprising bearing means on said cylinderhead, said bearing means extending transversely of the cylinder structure axis whereby portions of said bearing means are on opposite sides of the cylinder structure axis; and hose-coupling structures pivotally connected with the cylinder head through the agency of said bearing means portions and respectively communicative with said conduits through said joint means.

- 3.-In afluid-actuated ram operable in conjunction with a fluid column in a hose and connectable between spaced attachment portions of apparatus to be operated thereby, a cylinder structure having a conduit communicative with an interior end portion thereof, a connecting rod telescopically movable relatively to the cylinder structure, a hose coupling structure for said hose, said coupling structure being communicative with said conduit and connected with said cylinder for pivotal movement relatively thereto about an axis arranged transversely of the cylinder axis to facilitate bodily manipulation of the ram about said transverse axis pursuant to attaching the ram to said attachment portions without materially bending the hose, and means for establishing the connection of the cylinder with one of said attachment portions comprising an attaching member rotatively adjustable about an axis extending lengthwise of the cylinder to facilitate cooperative connecting relation thereof relatively to said one attaching portion without rotation of the cylinder about its principal axis and attendant bending of the hose.

4. The combination set wherein said cylinder head contains a channel communicative between said conduits, said cylinder head also containing a threaded bore extending toward an intermediate portion of said forth in claim 2,

8 channel and terminating in a conical valve seat which intersects said channel, and a threaded valve stem turned into the threaded bore and having a conical inner end cooperable with said seat to prevent communication of the channel between the conduits.

CARL W. MOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 121,355 Godwin Nov. 28, 1871 625,352 Paidassy May 23, 1899 674,347 Whitman May 14, 1901 1,744,885 Groene June 28, 1930 1,819,167 Heil Aug. 18, 1931 1,885,194 Francis Nov. 1, 1932 2,092,243 Breese Sept. 7, 1937 2,293,167 Overbeke Aug. 18, 1942 2,382,457 Wertman Aug. 14, 1945 2,438,285 Houldsworth Mar. 23, 1948 2,449,392 Kremiller Sept. 14, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 844,214 France Apr. 17, 1939 

